Tarbell Fellowship 2027–2028: Earn $75,000–$135,000 to Cover Artificial Intelligence at Leading Newsrooms

Overview

The Tarbell Fellowship 2027–2028 is a year-long professional development programme organised by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. It is designed for journalists, researchers, and artificial intelligence specialists who want to build a career at the intersection of technology, journalism, and public policy. The programme combines intensive instruction on artificial intelligence and journalism with a nine-month placement at a professional newsroom.

Who can apply

The fellowship is targeted at individuals interested in explaining complex technological developments to the public, investigating powerful technology companies, and examining AI governance and regulation. Senior fellowship positions are available for candidates who have at least seven years of professional experience and a strong record of achievement in journalism or artificial intelligence. Applicants must be able to commit to the programme on a full-time basis and should not undertake it alongside a graduate degree or another training programme.

What you get

Participants earn a competitive annual salary ranging from $75,000 to $120,000 for regular fellows, and from $115,000 to $135,000 for senior fellows, with the exact amount determined by professional experience and local cost of living. Fellows receive three months of intensive remote instruction, a customised curriculum, guest lectures, and graded assignments, followed by a week-long in-person fellowship summit in August 2027. Following the training, participants spend nine months embedded as reporters within professional newsrooms to produce original journalism and build a professional portfolio.

Key dates

Applications for the 2027–2028 cohort must be submitted before the deadline of November 22, 2026. The training programme runs from June 7 to August 6, 2027. A week-long in-person fellowship summit is provisionally scheduled for August 16–20, 2027. Newsroom placements take place from September 2027 through May 2028.